In Praise of Raw Data

This exhibition is a result of an ongoing collaboration between artist Dr Melanie King and Dr Claudia Mignone - an astronomer and science communicator at INAF - Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica, Rome.This exhibition highlights the beauty of raw data artefacts resulting from cosmic interactions with telescope sensors. These features include over-exposed cores of stars which resemble black holes and six pointed stars which are an artefact of James Webb Space Telescope mirrors. In this project, King and Mignone have considered the construction of astronomical images and raw data artefacts that are often removed from astronomical images for public outreach purposes.

Astronomical images in the digital media ecosystem are highly mediated, for example – colours are added to images taken in different filters to reflect different chemicals present in a galaxy or nebula. In this project, King and Mignone have been speaking to Alyssa Pagan and Joseph Depasquale, visualisation specialists at Space Telescope Science Institute to learn more about their image editing processes. In addition to this, the pair spoke to Mark McCaughrean (Former Senior Advisor for Science & Exploration at the European Space Agency) about his extensive work with astronomical imaging. King and Mignone have discussed their research at the 6th Shaw-IAU Workshop on Astronomy for Education held by the International Astronomical Union in November 2024.

This project comprises several colour printing processes and sustainable printing techniques, which mimic the digital imaging processing techniques. These processes include risograph prints, produced at Park Press Margate. In addition to this, King produced sustainable screen prints using oak gall inks and recycled papers made in collaboration with photographer Clare Hewitt, botanical ink maker Carolyn Morton and paper maker Danielle Phelps. King has also been working on duotone cyanotypes using botanical toners in her Ramsgate studio. As King’s work considers the intimate connection between the cosmos, ecology of earth and materiality, the artist was keen to use sustainable printing processes to limit the impact of her work on the environment.

Mignone has experimented with digital astronomical imaging composites, in addition to multiple acetate images that represent astronomical images in different colours. These images show the same object taken in various filters, which are used to produce an installation in the gallery. The experimental printing processes and installations aim to draw attention to artefacts resulting from astronomical telescopes, in addition to the printing processes themselves.